"I voted for the Affordable Care Act because the current health care system is simply unsustainable and it will bankrupt our nation. This law helps lay the groundwork for containing health care costs through leveraging private sector innovation and competition to improve the quality and value of care in this country. I was unable to vote today because of a family emergency, but I wanted to register my strong opposition to Senator McConnell’s amendment which would repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The Affordable Care Act is already helping millions of Virginians and Americans. The law has helped lower prescription costs for seniors, including over 63,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has provided affordable coverage for millions of young adults throughout the country who have been able to stay on their parent’s plan and stopped insurers from denying coverage to children due to a pre-existing condition. Small businesses are benefiting from tax credits to cover the cost of offering health insurance coverage to their employees.

The Congressional Budget Office has stated that repealing the health care reform law would add $230 billion to the deficit and take away these immediate benefits and many other critical delivery systems reforms which currently are being implemented. Taking us back to the status quo is not an option.

This law is not perfect, nor will it be the final say in efforts to ensure that we have a quality, affordable health care system which works for American families and businesses. I have continued to push for fixes to parts of this law, including repealing the provision which placed a burdensome requirement on small businesses to file a Form 1099, and will continue to pursue additional steps to further lower health care costs.

I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to provide affordable, quality care to all Americans."